


Two Of Hearts

by lesbians



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Game, Detective AU, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Other, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2019-10-05 12:17:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17324849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbians/pseuds/lesbians
Summary: Kyoko Kirigiri is a once-famous-now-reclusive detective who only wishes to avenge her partner.Makoto Naegi is the perfect wrench to throw in her plans.And Celestia Ludenberg is dead.





	1. Introductions

Kyoko Kirigiri was on thin ice, but she didn’t even bother to step carefully anymore. Cracked ice is cracked ice, there’s no point in delaying the inevitable. The way she sees it, if the department really decides to let her go, and she falls into the chilling water that was always just beneath the frost, then maybe she can rid herself of this icy wasteland once and for all. 

 

The department, however, did not WANT to let her go. She was their best detective for years, almost placing herself as number one in the entire world some time ago. They couldn’t afford to be the people who fired THE Kyoko Kirigiri. So, instead of allowing her to slip through the ice, they were going to attempt to patch those cracks up.

 

Hence Makoto Naegi.

 

“I don’t do partners,” Kirigiri said, not even bothering to look up from the stack of papers she was skimming over. 

 

“They said you might be that way.” Naegi chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m, uh, new to the job, so I kind of need someone to show me the ropes...” She stiffened. “It’s an honor to meet you, by the way. Your work is just incredible. I mean, I admire the fact that you do off-the-job work now, but the cases you’ve solved in the past-“

 

“How new?” She interrupted, ignoring his praise. He stuttered.

 

“Uhh.. I... you mean, m-me?” She nodded expectantly. “Oh, uhh... it’s actually my first day, so... yeah, pretty new.”

 

“Great,” she groaned, slouching back in her chair. “This is perfect. Ugh!” She ran a hand through her hair. “They think that having a kid with me will tie me down, huh?” It was muttered under her breath, but Naegi still heard it. He cleared his throat.

 

“Um, well, you’re only two years older than me.” She stared at him with a deadpan gaze. “You’re twenty seven, right? I’m twenty five. So not a kid, technically!” He laughed weakly.

 

She blinked at him, seemingly weighing her options in her head. Naegi shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, feeling entirely out of his comfort zone. Being a fan of her work, he’d known that Kirigiri had taken on a more reclusive personality in recent years before taking this opportunity, but he didn’t expect... this. She was reclusive, sure, but that didn’t prepare him for the sheer abrasiveness she was demonstrating. 

 

“... They’re wrong,” she finally said. 

 

“What?” He asked, completely lost.

 

“Having you around won’t hold me back,” she explained. “I’m not here to look out for you. You can tag along on my... ‘unapproved’ work,” she said, using air quotations. “But it’s not gonna stop me. I don’t-“

 

“You don’t do partners,” he finished. She raised an eyebrow, but nodded. “That’s fine by me. I’m not really here for the department, more so for the work itself. The fact that I was assigned to you is purely coincidental.”

 

“Good.” She busied herself with tidying up the papers on her desk before standing up and slipping her coat on. She opened the door before turning back to Naegi, almost as an afterthought. “Are you coming?”

 

“Where?” She pursed her lips.

 

“Work.”

 

“Now?” He squeaked. She nodded. “Um? Sure. Yes, I mean. Let’s go.”

 

“This is gonna kill me,” Kirigiri muttered before exiting the room, Naegi rushing out behind her.

 

—————————————————————

 

It’s his first day on the job, and Naegi is already messing up big time.

 

“You are the worst driver in history,” Kirigiri snapped as he made a left turn too early (again). “Do you even have your license?”

 

“Nice of you to ask that now,” he said under his breath. “Yes, in fact, I do. Why aren’t you driving if you hate it so much?”

 

“I think that should be obvious,” she said, gesturing to her bad eye. “If I drive, we’ll definitely get pulled over.” He slammed on the brakes as they came to a stop sign, lurching her forward. “Although, I’m not sure we’re much better off with you behind the wheel.”

 

“The comments don’t help.” He sighed. “I... think we lost him.”

 

“You don’t say,” she grunted. “Well, we got that phone call, at least.” She tapped the small pad filled with a conversation they listened in on earlier. “And we’ve got the address. It’s too risky to drive there now, but we can try for tomorrow.”

 

They’d been chasing this guy all over the city for the better half of the day, and all Naegi did was make things more complicated. He didn’t have enough appendages to count how many times Kirigiri had scolded him since eight that morning. The only thing they’d gotten out of nearly nine hours was the small bit of information Kirigiri picked up while they were in a booth behind him at a diner. 

 

He felt awful.

 

“We can try?” He offered. “I mean, there’s no sense in giving up.”

 

“We’re not giving up,” she said, sounding very weary. “But I can’t take this anymore. Let’s get back to headquarters.”

 

He swallowed down on a lump in his throat as he turned the car around, trying very hard not to cry in front of his partner.

 

—————————————————————

 

“Where are we going?” He asked, curiously, as Kirigiri suddenly stood up again.

 

“Not ‘we,’” she corrected. “Just me. I’m going out with my friends. We’re doing overtime at this point.” She pointed to the clock on her wall. Sure enough, it was well past what they were required to do.

 

“It’s a work night,” he said. “Are you sure you want to go out tonight?”

 

“I don’t need you looking out for me, Naegi. I was just fine before you.” She slipped on her coat. “Keep that in mind. It’s you who needs me, not the other way around.” 

 

The door was shut carefully, but it still felt like he got it slammed in his face.

 

—————————————————————

 

“Where are you going?” Kyoko asks, putting her pencil down. Celestia stretches and gives her a light smile.

 

“Drinks. You wanna come with?” 

 

“Um... I don’t want to intrude,” she says. “You go on, I’m still finishing up here.”

 

“Don’t be so uptight,” Celestia teases, chuckling. “You can finish your boring paperwork tomorrow. Let’s go have FUN, Kyoko!” She pulls her up by her arm.

 

“I don’t drink,” she protests.

 

“That’s funny,” Celestia says. “I seem to remember you grumbling about needing a whiskey after your first day.”

 

“I was stressed,” Kyoko explains. “I don’t make a habit out of it or anything.”

 

“Then don’t,” Celestia grins. “It’s just one night. I’ll even let you ask around for our case. You can be a total wet blanket.”

 

“You’re not cute,” Kyoko bites, standing up. Celestia raises her eyesbrows.

 

“Yes I am. Let’s go!” Kyoko stares at her. She’s still in her work clothes.

 

“Don’t you want to get ready, first?” She’s being dragged out of the office.

 

“Oh, please.” Celestia looks back at her, cherry red eyes glinting with mischief. She smirks knowingly, as if sharing an inside joke with herself. Kyoko blinks.

 

“I’m always ready,” she says, quick and low, as if second nature. “Partner.”

 

—————————————————————

 

“Kyoko!” A voice shouts out. She startles, nearly knocking her drink over, before turning to see a short girl in a glimmering red dress.

 

“Chihiro,” she greets. “You’re... overdressed.”

 

“Do you like it?” She asks, giving a little twirl. “Mondo bought it for me.” 

 

“It’s cute,” she says, taking a sip. “Where are they? Mondo and Kiyotaka?” 

 

“Over here,” Kiyotaka announces, making their presence known. Kyoko nods at the pair, both as dolled up as their girlfriend- Mondo in a black dress shirt and red pants, and Kiyotaka in a white-button up with a rose decal on the pocket and black slacks. She suddenly feels like her faded dress shirt and jeans were not suited for the occasion.

 

“It’s been a while,” she says.

 

“Too long,” Mondo says, wrapping her in a tight hug. “I feel like we haven’t really met up since-“

 

“I know,” Kyoko interrupts. “These past few years have been...” she trails off.

 

“A blur?” Kiyotaka offers. He smiles at her. “Nice to see you, Kyoko.” 

 

“You too,” she agrees. “So... how have things been?” Chihiro practically jumps up and down.

 

“I got a gig!” She exclaims. Kyoko can’t help but grin at her friend’s excitement. 

 

Chihiro had been a computer programmer for years. It paid well, but she hated the job she had. It wasn’t the kind of work she wanted to do. As a means of distraction, she’d taken up singing in her free time, and it just so happened to be something that she genuinely enjoyed. None of her music had really taken off- until now, that is.

 

“Congratulations!” Kyoko said. “What is it?”

 

“Here,” she says, giggling gleefully. “Tonight.”

 

“Oh, wow,” she breathes. “Is that why you’re all dressed up?”

 

“Sure is,” Mondo says. “It’s also why we invited you tonight. It was a surprise.”

 

“I’m glad I came. That’s great, Chihiro!”

 

“Mhm! It’s super exciting,” she says. “What about you? How’s life?” 

 

Kyoko pauses at that. What is she supposed to say? To be honest, she’s not doing so hot. She’s one bad move away from losing her job, and while that would be a great relief, she certainly has other conflicting feelings about it. Not to mention the new partner.

 

“I’m managing,” she decides, taking another sip of her drink. “It’s, uh... it’s getting easier, I guess.” She’s lying through her teeth now.

 

“I know,” Kiyotaka says, frowning. “It’s been hard on us, sure, but...” 

 

“We don’t have to talk about it,” Mondo offers. “About her.” Kyoko nods.

 

“That sounds perfect.”

 

The rest of the night flies by until Chihiro’s performance. The whole club goes quiet as she steps onto the stage, shiny and sleek in her dress. As the first few notes begin to play, a slow and deep song, she sheds her shawl, and Kyoko nearly chokes on her drink. It wasn’t noticeable in the darkness of the bar, but now that she’s standing in the literal spotlight, she can see that the once frail Chihiro has apparently become very athletic. Arms that used to look like twigs about to snap now took on a muscular shape. She sucks in a deep breath.

 

“When did she get... buff?” She whispers to Mondo, who chuckles lightly.

 

“We’ve been working out,” he explains. “And she’s not buff, just... got some meat on her bones, now.” 

 

She starts to sing, and the pair ceases their conversation to focus on the girl on stage. Her voice isn’t exactly powerful- she’s not going to be belting out anthems or anything, but it’s certainly enticing. The lyrics suit her voice- light and pretty. When she’s finished, the whole club claps, and she’s practically glowing. Kyoko shoots her a thumbs up.

 

Four more songs and the night is over.

 

—————————————————————

 

Snap.

 

Snap.

 

He groans noncommittally and swats at the air in front of his face, attempting to rid himself of that awful clicking noise.

 

Snap.

 

“Naegi.”

 

Snap.

 

Snap.

 

“NAEGI.”

 

He jolts awake, a piece of paper comically sticking to his cheek. Blearily, he blinks at his surroundings. Kirigiri comes into view above him, giving him a look that seems to be a mixture of disapproval and distaste. 

 

“Morning,” he mumbles, sitting up. “I must’ve fallen asleep doing work.”

 

“Yes, it does look like that.” She taps her foot impatiently. “I went to the address this morning. It seems to be an empty warehouse of some kind. No one was there, and I didn’t have enough time to snoop around more than I already did, so I didn’t find much. But,” she pulls out the same notepad from yesterday. “I was able to track down the same man we were following yesterday. I listened to a couple different conversations, more closely this time, and it turns out this guy’s going by at least three different names. I really don’t like how this is heading. It’s weirdly easy.” She puts the notepad back in her pants pocket. “I’m going to do some research on the aliases he was using, find out if he’s got a record. You...” she wrinkles her nose. “Go shower.”

 

“Aha, yeah,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “But, you really figured all of that out on your own?” 

 

Her expression goes distant for a moment, brows knit in confusion. Her eyes seem foggy, as if she’d just woken up and was getting her bearings. Then she blinks, and her face hardens once again.

 

“I thought I told you,” she says.

 

Naegi thinks. Most of their conversations thus far consisted mostly of her snapping at him and him either getting frustrated or apologetic. As far as the case goes, he doesn’t remember anything other than the little that they learned yesterday.

 

“Told me what?” He asks. She turns away.

 

“I don’t need your help.”


	2. New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so long lol. This is only gonna be a five chapter fic at most so I’ve got lots to fit in.

Hunched in a tight space with his partner was not exactly how Naegi pictured his day off. 

For starters, he figured that without the threat of losing her job if she didn’t let Naegi tag along, Kirigiri would be working alone. She practically did just that even with said threat, so he had no idea what he was doing here.

And, also, he had lunch plans! With his best friends! Who he had not seen in months and didn’t want to blow off for some dusty closet in a warehouse, thank you very much!

Although, who knows? Maybe Kirigiri was warming up to him. If that were the case, he should definitely take this chance to gain her trust and not screw it up before even passing square one. It would certainly make life easier, and Kirigiri really seemed like she needed more friends than just her drinking buddies. A work friend couldn’t hurt her.

“Stop breathing so much,” she whispered lowly into his ear. He frowned.

Or, maybe not.

They stayed there for a good hour, Kirigiri carefully writing in her notepad, muffled by her jacket, and Naegi listening closely in case she missed anything. And, then, after the voices died down, footsteps and the sound of the door closing shut signaling their leave, they stayed for another fifteen minutes, just in case. 

Naegi nervously glanced at his watch, his eyes fully adjusted to the dark at this point. 11:03. He still had an hour or so to get ready, drive to the restaurant, and greet his friends like he wasn’t just gathering information on a group of apparent criminals. 

It dawned on him then that he didn’t even know why Kirigiri was after these guys. From what he heard, they were weapon dealers, but there was a similar case that they could have picked up a few weeks back. 

“Why are you so hung up on these people?” He asked as he drove her back. 

“One person, actually,” she explained. “The guy we keep following. I could care less about some guys selling guns and machetes.”

“Nice,” he whispered under his breath. “So what’s with the guy, then? Because he’s their leader or whatever?” She hummed.

“Or whatever.” He gave her a confused look. “They listen to him, sure, and I don’t doubt that he’s the one behind all this.” She crossed her arms. “But I’m more interested in the possibility of him being a murderer.”

His grip on the steering wheel tightened. Murderer? Why didn’t he tell her that before?

“I’ve been following this case for a couple of years,” she said. “There was a fire. A woman died. It was so hot that only her teeth were left. You heard of that before? I had, but it’s more than disturbing to actually see it. It managed to burn everything except for a couple of molars. That’s insane.” 

“Um... yeah,” he agreed hesitantly. 

“The police chalked it up to suicide. But I knew it wasn’t,” she said, knowingly.

“Why not?”

“Because, right on top of the ash and teeth, was the woman’s black ribbon.” His eyes flicked nervously to the ribbon Kirigiri always kept in her hair. “A fire so hellishly hot that it burned through everything, but a ribbon was left.” He nodded. 

“Sounds suspicious.”

“It is. Someone left that ribbon there on purpose, and no one believes it but me.” She smoothed her skirt down.

“You think this guy is the culprit?” He asked.

“I’m not sure yet,” she admitted. “I’ve followed a lot of different suspects in this case, and we’ve only just started on this guy. But...” she shifted uncomfortably. “When I was researching his aliases... well, one of them has three counts of arson tied to it.”

“Oh,” Naegi said, sucking in a breath.

“Like I said before,” She began. “It’s almost too easy. I have a feeling that this is connected to something much bigger.” 

Naegi turned down her road, and the pair stayed silent for the rest of the trip. Kirigiri didn’t talk much if it wasn’t about cases, and he wasn’t really sure he could hold a conversation after that.

“We’re here,” he said as he pulled into the driveway. She gave him a puzzling look.

“Thanks for the ride.”

—————————————————————

Sakura and Asahina Ogami were, inarguably, the power couple of Naegi’s generation.

Dating for eight years and married for two, the two women had done everything worthwhile together, including (but not limited to) honeymooning in Paris, adopting a beautiful little boy who would be turning two in a month, and winning three Olympic awards collectively.

Yeah, you read that right.

It was crazy to think that two world-famous athletes would even think for more than a second about Naegi, but they just so happened to be very good friends. They were very close in high school, and nothing ever happened that tore them apart. Not even the two of them becoming wildly popular for being the first out lesbian Olympic couple while Naegi... well, he was a detective now, and that’s all the matters in the grand scheme.

“So, how’s life?” He asked over coffee. Asahina immediately dove into a story about her kid being a handful, and he listened contentedly. It was nice to push away all of the chaos of adulthood for a moment and just talk to his childhood friends. 

“Naegi!! How the hell have you been?!”

Or at least he thought.

The voice was unmistakably Kirigiri’s, and one sharp turn in that direction confirmed this. However, the way she held herself and strode over to him, arms open to invite him into a tight embrace was wildly out of character. His brow furrowed and she wrapped her arms around him, leaning down to whisper in her ear. 

“He’s here,” she said. “I need to join in on you and your friends. A group is less conspicuous.” 

His eyes darted around and, sure enough, there he was, the arsonist, sitting a booth away from him and the Ogamis. Go figure.

“Who’s this?” Asahina asked, politely smiling up at the woman despite her loud disturbance interrupting their lunch.

“Yoshida Kyo,” Kirigiri said, sticking her hand out in greeting. “I’m an old work friend of Naegi’s. Mind if I join you?” She asked, already sliding into the spot where Naegi was sitting moments ago. He sighed.

“Not at all,” Asahina assured, shaking her hand. Always the people pleaser. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m-“

“I know,” Kirigiri interrupted. “Aoi Asahina, two time Olympic gold medalist, married to Ogami Sakura, martial arts champion.” She grinned, and Naegi practically shuddered. It was so unlike her. Asahina flushed and giggled.

“No one’s called me Aoi in years!” She exclaimed, laughing. Sakura raised her brows.

“How close are you and Makoto?” She asked, plastering on a tasteful expression that screamed ‘fake’ to anyone who knew her.

“Close enough,” she said, discreetly pulling out her notepad under the table. 

“We, uh, met at that office job I had a few years back,” he explained. “Yoshida was just about the only person I got along with.”

“Strange you didn’t mention her,” Asahina said. “You two seem to know each other really well.” He chuckled nervously.

“Ah, well...” he shifted ever so slightly, desperately searching for an out to this conversation. “... Well, we kind of just started reconnecting. Things were weird after the breakup and all.” 

Kirigiri stiffened next to him, and he could practically hear the scolding he was going to get later for this. Asahina gasped lightly, quickly apologizing and changing the subject. Sakura squinted suspiciously at the girl next to him, and he silently begged the universe to work in his favor for once.

“Well,” Kirigiri said, standing up. “I’ve got to run. I only came here to pick up some coffee for the ladies down at work. But it was nice meeting you! I’m a big fan.” 

As she was leaving, she hugged Naegi once more, whispering a soft “you suck at this” into his ear before departing. The unease that had wound his stomach in knots settled at that- it was unlike her to be so... friendly. He noticed that Sakura watched intently as she ordered the coffees, not paying attention to Asahina’s light remarks about how great Naegi’s old ‘friend’ was. 

She watched, in fact, until Kirigiri had left the coffee shop, only to turn to Naegi with a skeptical look on her face.

“You two were... an item?” She asked. He gulped. Had he been caught? 

“Uh, yeah! It was a while ago, though, heh.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“I see,” she said, nodding. “Naegi...”

“Y-yeah?”

“Yoshida is still in love with you.”

That sent him right into a coughing fit. Asahina squealed and began hurriedly patting his back, instructing him to put his arms above his head. He waved her away, shaking his head.

“I’m fine,” he insisted, voice hoarse. He cleared his throat. “Sakura just surprised me, is all.” The culprit smiled unashamedly.

“It’s the truth,” she said. “She was practically hanging off of you the entire time. I bet she only came in because she saw you in the window.” Asahina laughed.

“Aw, you’re right!” She turned to Naegi. “Makoto, you’re single, right? Why don’t you take Yoshida out sometime? It might be good for you to have a strong female presence in your life.” He snorted.

“Says you and every other lesbian in existence. But, no, I’m not looking for a relationship right now.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Tell me more about your kid. He’s gotta be reaching that age where he throws a bunch of tantrums, right?”

“The terrible twos,” Sakura said, grimly.

“Oh my gosh, you wouldn’t believe the fits! I feel like we’re raising a gremlin...”

—————————————————————

“You haven’t slept,” Celestia says, lightly. She hands Kyoko a mug of coffee, which the latter gladly accepts.

“I’m just missing something,” she explains, taking a sip and lifting a piece of paper to her face. “One little thing, I’m sure of it. It’ll blow this case wide open.” Celestia hums noncommittally. “Could you take a look at it for me? Maybe you could figure it out.”

“... sure, let me see,” she agrees, taking the paper from Kyoko and skimming it over. “Hm. Well, I know exactly what you need.”

“Really?!” Kyoko asks, eyes blown wide. 

“Yes,” she replies. “Rest. C’mon, partner, let’s get you home.” She groans.

“Home is so far away,” she complains. “I don’t want to make the drive. Can’t I just sleep here?” Celestia raises a brow.

“What, in your chair?” She receives a nod, and sighs. “Look, my place is a ten minute drive from here. You wanna crash there for the day? I can fill in for you.”

“Oh... no, no, I couldn’t. Thank you for the offer, Celestia, but-“

“Hey,” she says, softly. “I don’t mind at all. You could make a mess of the place for all I care. As long as you get some sleep, yeah?”

Kyoko feels heat creeping up on her neck. She swallows hard before nodding, slowly.

“... Y-yeah. Okay, then.”

“Alright,” Celestia says. “I live in the White Lake Duplex. 15-A. Don’t mind the lady next door, she’s super nosy.” 

She hands Kyoko the keys to her apartment, which she accepts with a short series of “thank you”s and “I won’t be long.”

“Be as long as you want,” she says. “You need the sleep. Remember, 15-A.”

“15-A.” 

“What was that?” Naegi asked. Kirigiri awoke with a soft jolt. She rubbed at her eyes and checked her surroundings. Car.

“Where are we?” She grumbled.

“Oh, sorry, were you asleep? You were mumbling about something.” He chuckled lightly. “We’re almost there.”

Right. He was taking her home. It was odd for her to fall asleep, especially considering neither of them had worked overtime, and Naegi’s driving wasn’t exactly calming. But she must have been exhausted to be comfortable enough to relax around him.

Huh.

As he sharply pulled into her driveway, stopping the car so she could get out like always, something rose in her throat before she could stop it. A yawn? Bile? 

“Would you like to come in?”

Oh, no. Even worse. It was words.

Naegi blinked at her with wide eyes. Shoot. She was already regretting this. Maybe they were right. Having an impressionable kid around might affect her a bit. But only because inviting someone into your house and then turning down the offer immediately is rude, even for her. It wasn’t going to stop her from doing what she needed to do in terms of investigations. 

“... Wait, really?” He asked. She shrugged.

“Yeah, why not. I owe you for messing up your lunch date, right?” He shifted awkwardly.

“I mean, it’s no big deal, really.” He chuckled to himself. “Sakura’s convinced that you’re pining after me now, though, so thanks for that.”

“It’s what I’m here for,” she said. He stared at her. “... What are you looking at?”

“Did... you just make a joke?” He asked. She tensed and began to get out of the car. “Wait, no! Don’t go, it was funny!”

“I’ll see you around, Naegi,” she forced out. 

“Aw, come on!” 

She shut the door.

—————————————————————

Leon was cornered.

This happened often. He was kind of a target for trouble, has been ever since he was a teenager. Guys walk up to him and pick a fight over cheap weapons and stuff like that. He never comes out unscathed, but it hasn’t killed him yet, so. Silver lining? It’s a necessary evil for his line of work, he supposes. 

He has to say, though, in all his years as a nuisance, he’s never been cornered by a girl. 

Well, not like this, anyways.

“Okay, hey, slow down!” He said, raising his hands in surrender. “What’s the problem here? If you’ve got a problem with something I sold you, we can talk it out, yeah?”

“Shut up,” the girl spat, squinting her eyes at him. He noticed that one was paler than the other. A blind spot? Hm, that could be useful to him if necessary. “I don’t care about your crappy weapons.”

“You... don’t?” He asked. 

“No, I don’t. I care more about your history with fire,” she said. He gulped. Oh, shit.

“Ah... are you a cop?” He asked, shifting his eyes nervously. She shrugged.

“No, not a cop. A detective, but this is more of a personal visit.” She cocked her head to the side. “This is my partner, Naegi. Introduce yourself, Naegi.”

“Um... nice to meet you,” a small voice said from behind her. Leon scoffed.

“Yeah, my pleasure,” he said.

“And you can call me Kirigiri,” she said. “Now why don’t you tell us your name?” He opened his mouth. “The real one. We’ve been tracking you for a couple weeks, now. I know all your aliases.” He sighed.

“Uh... listen, I don’t give out my name that-“ she kicked him in the shin.

“Kirigiri!” Naegi gasped.

“Real name,” she repeated. 

“What is this about, anyways? How am I supposed to trust you if I have no idea why you’re interrogating me, huh? What kinda cops are you?”

“We’re not cops,” Kirigiri mumbled. “White Lake Duplex. Building 15-A. It burned down a few years back. Was that you?” He looked down, and she kicked him again.

“Ow, watch it!” She raised her eyebrows. “Yeah, okay, sure, let’s say it was me. What are you gonna do? Arrest me?”

“We’re not cops!” She exclaimed. “Why did you do it? Fun? A vendetta? Money?” 

“Slow down!” Leon shouted, louder this time. “You gotta give me some leeway here!” She made no move to let him go. He sighed in defeat. “Look, I’ll tell you. Quit it with the good cop/bad cop act, I’ll talk.”

“We’re not-“

“I know, I know. Not cops. I heard you.” He tilted his head to the side. “I’m gonna treat you like cops, though, because I’m not sure I believe you.” Kirigiri sneered, but released him.

“Alright,” she said. “Talk.”

“I did get paid for that,” he admitted. “Some American girl offered me three grand to start a fire in that building. I heard about...” he bit his lip. “She told me the lady would be out when I... that wasn’t part of the deal. I don’t ask questions when people pay me to do shit like that, but I’m not a murderer.”

“You are,” Kirigiri said. “You killed that woman in there. Tell me your name.”

“... no,” he said, softly. Kirigiri raised her fist, but Naegi reached up and stopped her.

“Fine,” she spit. “Don’t tell me. But I need to know about the American girl who paid you. And the ribbon.” Leon’s brow furrowed.

“Ribbon? I don’t know about any ribbon.”

“Don’t lie!” Kirigiri snapped. Leon raised his hands in surrender, eyes nervous.

“I’m not lying! I really don’t know!” He gulped. “But... I remember the girl’s name. I’ll give it to you, but it could have easily been an alias.” 

“We’re well aware,” Naegi said. “Just tell us the girl’s name, and we’ll leave you alone.”

“Thank you,” he said. “I’ve got it in my notebook. I’m going to reach into my pants pocket, now,” he warned, cautiously inching his hand downward. Kirigiri nodded.

Before he pulled out his notebook, he pressed a small button in his pocket, then retrieved his list of contacts. He flipped back through the pages, trying to find his contacts from earlier years- what kind of job he did, how much they paid, etcetera. Eventually, his eyes lit up, and he snapped his fingers, looking up at the detectives.

“Thorn,” he said. “Her name is Thorn.”

At that moment, a small door that went unnoticed by the two detectives burst open, revealing two muscular men- one with blonde hair and a beard, the other with a long, dark ponytail; and a shorter (but still visibly strong) girl with blue hair. All three were clad in baseball uniforms, complete with bats.

“What is this?” Naegi asked, raising his hands in surrender. Leon stood up, running a hand through his hair and smiling casually.

“My life alert responders,” he said, sighing. “You two aren’t the only ones who play dirty.”

“Wait,” Kirigiri said, grabbing his sleeve. “That’s not fair.” Leon frowned.

“You just kicked the shit out of me,” he protested. He looked past Kirigiri to the girl with blue hair. “Possible blind right eye,” he called out. “Use it.” With that, he wriggled out of Kirigiri’s grip and dashed off. 

The two partners were jumped almost immediately by Leon’s accomplices. Naegi was barely able to dodge the first few attacks, and landed virtually none. Kirigiri was just a tad better off- she’d obviously been in situations like this before, but the blue haired girl was fast. She’d already landed quite a few blows by the time Naegi was able to make his way over to Kirigiri. 

“Kirigiri!” He shouted, substantially leaving his attackers in the dust. She whipped her head around, eyes fiery with adrenaline. 

“Naegi, don’t be an idiot!” 

Okay. Ouch.

The blue haired girl took Kirigiri’s moment of distraction as an opportunity to knee her in the stomach. Naegi watched as his partner doubled over in pain, the girl moving to her right side and raising her bat. He gasped and leapt in front of Kirigiri, bat making direct contact with his eye. He hissed in pain, crumpling to the ground. Kirigiri shoved him out of the way before firing a blank at the girl, who let out a cry of pain before blacking out.

She panted heavily before sliding to the ground, gun dropping from her hand. The rest of Leon’s associates seemed to have dispersed, leaving them alone. Naegi felt tears start to blur his vision, and before he knew it, he was muffling sobs with his hand.

“Stop it,” Kirigiri said, shuffling towards him. “Crying doesn’t help anything. Let me see your eye.” He shook his head. “Naegi, c’mon.” 

He pulled his hands away from his face and looked up at Kirigiri, squinting. His left eye was already swelling and turning black and blue. The skin just above his cheek had split a tad, the tears streaking the blood down his face morbidly. She clicked her tongue. 

“Is she dead?” He asked, voice pathetic.

“No, just knocked out. That’s gonna need some ice. If you drive me home, I can patch you up there. Deal?” 

“Yeah, okay.”

—————————————————————

Kirigiri’s house didn’t suit her.

Naegi’s not sure what he expected it to be like. Her personality suggested the bare necessities and nothing else, but her office was the opposite- scattered and messy, loose paper and coffee mugs strewn everywhere. 

But her house was... homey, almost. It was cozy, small and full of warm colors. The kitchen was spotless, but her bedroom showed an unkempt bed and novels carelessly cast aside. She didn’t say anything as she lead him through her house and into the bathroom, sitting him down on the edge of her bathtub. She sifted through her medicine cabinet until she retrieved all that she needed.

“The cut isn’t deep,” she assured him as she dabbed it down with alcohol. “But you’re gonna have an awful black eye. I can lend you some concealer, but I don’t think it’ll help much. Also, you probably don’t want to touch that anymore than you have to.”

He nodded, wincing as she pressed a bandaid to his cheek as gently as she could.

“Sorry,” she mumbled. “Alright, let me get you an ice pack. You can go sit down in my bedroom if you want. I’ve got a desk chair in there,” she said before going off.

Naegi obliged, walking into her room and admiring it before plopping down in a nice leather swivel chair. His face throbbed, so he busied himself with a thorough snooping- for distraction purposes. 

Murder mystery book.

Tacky horror movie poster.

Murder mystery book #2.

Open notebook.

“Would you like some tea, Naegi?” Kirigiri shouted from the kitchen.

“Sure!” He replied, reaching for the notebook.

It was open to an entry from a few days ago. Notes about Leon and arson and the name “Celestia” in the margins. A work journal? Huh, interesting. She was very obviously invested in this case, of course, but this was to an extent Naegi hadn’t even considered. 

The entry went as follows.

“I’m so close. I can feel it. Years of hard work are finally paying off. But I can’t help but feel like there’s something lying underneath the surface of this case. I had nothing to work with for so many years, and now things are popping up left and right. The arsonist. The warehouse. Even my new partner. Someone out there really wants me to crack this case- and, frankly, I’m quite thankful. Yet still, I have to consider the possibility of a set up. This will be all for naught if I walk right into-“

“What are you doing?” Kirigiri asked, voice hard and cutting through the silence. He fumbled with the notebook nervously, dropping it down on the desk.

“Nothing!” He squeaked. hands curled into fists at his sides. She squinted at him suspiciously, setting the cups of tea down with a slam. She didn’t wince when the hot liquid spilled over, surely burning her hand. 

“How much did you read?” She questioned bluntly. He swallowed.

“... Who’s Celestia?” He decided on. 

“What the hell, Naegi?” She muttered, glowering. “Are you always this nosy?”

“I’m a detective. It’s my job.”

“Hardly,” she sneered. He frowned.

“Look. I’ve had a really shit day. Could you just humor me for a few minutes?” 

She stared him down, gaze heavy. He was just about to back down and call the whole thing off when she sighed and walked over to her bed, sitting down. She twiddled her hands nervously, something he’d never seen on her.

“Celestia was my partner,” she began.

“I thought you didn’t do partners,” he chided. She glared at him pointedly.

“I don’t. To be more accurate, I was her partner. I hadn’t been a detective for long when I was assigned to work with her. It must’ve been not even two years in at most. I was a rising star in the investigative world, and she was at about the same level as me, only with a few more years of experience.” 

“What happened?” He asked.

“She died,” she replied, eyes darkening. “I wasn’t around to help her, and.. she died.” 

“Oh, Kirigiri...” he walked over and sat next to her on the bed. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Don’t apologize, it’s pointless,” she sniffed. “It doesn’t even matter. I’m making up for it now.”

“You mean...” he looked at her with wide eyes. She nodded in confirmation.

“The woman who was murdered. That was Celestia Ludenberg.” She looked down at her feet. “I’m going to avenge her.”

“... That’s dumb,” Naegi breathed. Her eyes snapped back up, and she stared at him.

“What did you just say?”

“I said that’s dumb,” he continued. “You shouldn’t ruin your life over something like that. You should grieve properly and move on like everyone else.”

“Naegi, you have NO right to-“

“You know, I was so happy when I found out I’d be working with you,” he raised his voice, standing up. “You were my idol. Imagine my disappointment when I found out you were just some malcontent drunk that planned to drag me along to life-threatening, off-the-job work with no sense of apprehension for what would happen to ME! And now I learn that it’s for an entirely avoidable cause?! I could deal with your whole ‘mysterious and broody’ shtick, but this is just self-destructive and childish! It’s pathetic, Kirigiri.” 

“Get the fuck out of my house,” Kirigiri said, tone steady and cold. 

“I’m not gonna go along with this anymore,” he continued.

“Fine. See if I care.”

“The agency will fire you.”

“Let them.” 

“So you don’t care about your job?”

“That’s right.”

“... You know,” he said, voice raw. “I took a pretty nasty hit for you today.”

“I didn’t ask you to do that,” she spat.

“No, but it still hurt. Can’t you just try to let me in? Just a little bit?” She scoffed.

“After that? Good luck.”

“I’m only trying to help you,” he argued.

“I thought I told you already,” she said flatly. “I don’t need your help.” 

His heart sank. Normally, he’d be crying by now. But he clenched his jaw. Lifted his chin up in defiance. Blinked away the tears.

“Right,” he managed out. “See you at work.” 

She doesn’t reply.


End file.
